| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from Sesame and Lilies by John Ruskin: mark a scholar. And this is so strongly felt, so conclusively
admitted, by educated persons, that a false accent or a mistaken
syllable is enough, in the parliament of any civilized nation, to
assign to a man a certain degree of inferior standing for ever.
And this is right; but it is a pity that the accuracy insisted on is
not greater, and required to a serious purpose. It is right that a
false Latin quantity should excite a smile in the House of Commons;
but it is wrong that a false English MEANING should NOT excite a
frown there. Let the accent of words be watched; and closely: let
their meaning be watched more closely still, and fewer will do the
work. A few words well chosen, and distinguished, will do work that
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from Modeste Mignon by Honore de Balzac: "Madame, my life is at stake, and you must allow me--not for my sake,
but for my wife, my colonel, for all of us--to probe this matter to
the bottom, and find out whether it is the mother or the watch-dog who
is deceived."
"It is you who are deceived, Dumay. Ah! if I could but see my
daughter!" cried the poor woman.
"But whom is it possible for her to love?" asked the notary. "I'll
answer for my Exupere."
"It can't be Gobenheim," said Dumay, "for since the colonel's
departure he has not spent nine hours a week in this house. Besides,
he doesn't even notice Modeste--that five-franc piece of a man! His
Modeste Mignon |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from The Street of Seven Stars by Mary Roberts Rinehart: with her own position to realize Peter's. With the glimpse of him
came a great longing for the house on the Siebensternstrasse, for
Jimmy's arms about her neck, for the salon with the lamp lighted
and the sleet beating harmlessly against the casement windows,
for the little kitchen with the brick stove, for Peter.
Doubts of the wisdom of her course assailed her. But to go back
meant, at the best, adding to Peter's burden of Jimmy and Marie,
meant the old situation again, too, for Marie most certainly did
not add to the respectability of the establishment. And other
doubts assailed her. What if Jimmy were not so well, should die,
as was possible, and she had not let his mother see him!
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The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson: abashed to find her ear so delicate, till I bethought me she was
struggling rather with mirth, a notion in which I was altogether
confirmed by the shaking of her voice as she replied -
"I will take up the defence of your reputation," she said. "You may
leave it in my hands."
And with that she withdrew out of the library.
CHAPTER XX - I CONTINUE TO MOVE IN GOOD SOCIETY
FOR about exactly two months I remained a guest in Prestongrange's
family, where I bettered my acquaintance with the bench, the bar, and
the flower of Edinburgh company. You are not to suppose my education
was neglected; on the contrary, I was kept extremely busy. I studied
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